


one step forward

by amadeusofnohr



Series: FE Rarepair Week 2018 [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study (kind of), F/F, Hoshido | Birthright Route, Post-Canon, Pre-Femslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 16:46:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15514158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amadeusofnohr/pseuds/amadeusofnohr
Summary: After the war, Hinoka finds herself feeling restless, not sure what to do with herself. Luckily, as always, her loyal retainer and closest friend is there to help.(For FE Rarepair Week, Day 3: Beginnings/Journeys)





	one step forward

It almost seems unreal that the war ended so easily, that Hoshido is close allies with Nohr now. It makes Hinoka a little uncomfortable after a lifetime of hating Nohr for taking Corrin away. But Corrin’s back now, and the two countries are allies, and she needs to accept that.

After Ryoma’s coronation, once everything has settled down, she finds herself listless. There isn’t much for the pegasus knights to do anymore, so she throws herself into her training, for hours on end. Ryoma’s busy being a leader, Takumi disappeared to travel the countryside with Corrin, and Sakura’s spearheading the organization nationwide medical treatments. Even Azama is taking to his new post, somewhere on a far border of Hoshido, like a fish to water. He sends letters, sometimes.

Hinoka just trains. Usually alone. The other pegasus knights are happy to have more time to spend with their families, and she doesn’t know where the people she fought beside under Corrin have gone. Nothing can stop her from running through the same training exercises, over and over again, war or no war.

She’s spent her whole life fighting, from being a stubborn child who wanted her sibling back to a stubborn adult who wanted to protect the citizens of her country. Now, to serve her citizens, she spends her time making stuffy public appearances in heavy formal kimonos, holding seiza and drinking bland tea through all sorts of meetings with ambassadors.

She hates it. Intellectually, she knows she’s being useful, but she can’t help but feel antsy. She could be doing anything else. She could join Takumi and Corrin, run amok through Hoshido helping villagers and rebuilding towns. Maybe she should try to pick up healing from Sakura.

She sighs, lowering her naginata and wiping the sweat from her brow. It’s late, and she has to be up early tomorrow to get ready for a meeting with Fuga. She has every intention of going straight to bed like a good little princess, but then she’s hear a crashing noise from nearby the outer walls of the royal compound. There’s probably someone on patrol who’ll handle it, but, well, she can’t just let someone break into the compound when she’s right here.

There’s plenty of shadows to hide in, so she readies her grip on her naginata and creeps forward towards the source of the ruckus. She peers through the trees that skirt the edges of the property, prepared to lunge at the enemy. Except, it’s not the enemy.

“Setsuna?”

Said woman is hanging by one foot from a snare trap tied to a rather sorry looking branch of a tree. Beneath her is a deep pit, full of poisoned spikes. Hinoka’s set more than her fair share of those very same traps, back in the day.

“Oh. Lady Hinoka. It’s been a while.” Setsuna blinks at her placidly, voice amazingly monotone for someone who has only a thin rope keeping them from death. “I’ve had to find my own way out of quite a few traps recently.”

It _has_ been a while. The need for retainers was less high than it had been, and Hinoka had just assumed Setsuna had gone back to her family’s estate. She didn’t even know she was staying in the palace. She’s a terrible friend. Despite the wave of guilt, she can’t help the smile that tugs at her lips.

“Some things never change, huh. I’ll get you down easy.” As she speaks, there’s a crack, and her eyes widen, darting to the branch Setsuna’s dangling from. It’s snapping.

Curses fall from her lips and she drops her naginata, rushing forward. She pushes off the ground just as Setsuna falls, jumping straight over the pit with her arms outstretched. She tumbles to the ground on the other side of the hole, popping to her feet and blowing her hair out of her eyes.

She has Setsuna clutched to her chest, bridal style, one arm under her knees and the other around her back. Setsuna doesn’t even look bothered, though her hair is a mess, spiking up at wild angles. Setsuna’s arms are looped around her neck, and she stares up at Hinoka.

“Thanks, Lady Hinoka. That was a close one.”

“I didn’t realize you were still here.” Hinoka blurts, because she can’t have Setsuna this close and pretend she hasn’t done anything wrong. Setsuna cocks her head.

“Where else would I be?”

Hinoka shrugs, trying to look anywhere other than at Setsuna.

“I dunno. You never were a fan of all the hubbub here.” The capital’s been even more crowded than usual lately, too.

“But you’re here, so here I am.” Setsuna yawns. “You might want to put me down… I might fall asleep… it’s pretty comfy.”

Hinoka blushes, but something in Setsuna’s words distracts her.

“That’s your reason for being here?”

Setsuna looks at her like she’s grown a second head.

“I just mean,” Hinoka fumbles. “Everyone else seems to have found a new purpose. I thought you might’ve moved on, too.”

It would’ve explained why Hinoka hasn’t seen her around. Then again, it’s not like Hinoka was trying to find her.

“I don’t need a new purpose. As long as you’re happy and safe, I’m happy.” She pauses, staring into Hinoka’s eyes. There’s an intensity in them that takes Hinoka off guard, piercing into her mind. “But you’re not happy, are you, Lady Hinoka?”

Hinoka wilts.

“I just feel… useless.” She says lamely. Setsuna’s not like her, never cared for fighting beyond a means to an end. Setsuna cocks her head.

“Does it matter? Lord Ryoma’s taking care of… everything, I suppose. You can do whatever you want. I’ll be right there with you… it’s not like anyone can really tell you what to do anymore.”

That’s the problem. She doesn’t know what she wants, doesn’t know how to want anything outside of protecting people. But.., during the war, there had been times when she thought about other things, hadn’t there? Wanting to soak in the hot springs after a freak thunderstorm drenched the army. Craving sweets when Setsuna complained about the field rations being bitter so she could be happy. Wanting to try street food from festival stalls a princess had never been allowed to go to, mouth watering at Orochi’s vivid descriptions, imagining getting to play festival games and win prizes. Setsuna would probably love a giant stuffed animal.

She smiles down at Setsuna, feeling her heart beating a little faster. Alone, she might still be in a funk, and she still kind of is, but she doesn’t have to do this alone.

“Are you hungry right now, Setsuna? Let’s go misuse royal funds.”

Setsuna sighs dramatically, tightening her grip on Hinoka’s neck. Her neck feels hot, and she resists the urge to rub at it.

“Only if you carry me… My legs are sore from that trap.”

Hinoka rolls her eyes. Her muscles ache from her extended training, but she’s had worse. The guards patrolling can handle resetting the trap, so she leaves it to them, swinging herself over the compound wall to hit the streets in search of greasy food from whatever restaurants are still open at midnight.

**Author's Note:**

> I may have a Nohr bias, but I really like Hinoka so I couldn't resist writing this. I havent actually fully beaten Birthright lol so constructive criticism is welcome!


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